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Blanc set to become France coach following FFF deal with Bordeaux

Current Bordeaux coach and former French international Laurent Blanc moved one step closer to becoming France's football coach after a deal was reached on Thursday between the French Football Federation and his club.

AFP - Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc took another step towards the France coaching job after agreement was reached on Thursday between his club and the French football federation (FFF).

Bordeaux said in a statement that agreement had been reached after a meeting between club president Jean-Louis Triaud and his FFF counterpart Jean-Pierre Escalettes.

They ironed out differences concerning the departure of Blanc who still has one year left on his current contract.

The way is now clear for the 44-year-old to replace current France coach Raymond Domenech who will leave his post at the end of the World Cup in July.

Triaud had previously expressed his anger at the "very premature" announcement of Blanc as a possible candidate and estimated that the "loss of profit" by the move would cost his club 20 million euros.

"A federation cannot simply go at will and hire a coach who is already working. This contributed to our sporting failure," said Triaud.

According to sports daily L'Equipe, Bordeaux will finally settle for 1.5 million euros in compensation. Blanc also wants to bring his current deputy coach Jean-Louis Gasset with his to the France team.

Blanc, a World Cup and Euro winning defender with France as a player, led Bordeaux to the 2009 league title and to the quarter-finals of this season's Champions League, losing to league rivals Lyon.

However his side could only finish sixth and out of the European places in Saturday's final round of league matches.